“There’s nothing in the world I could give back to them – they saved my life. My heart just stopped. It’s a miracle, definitely a miracle.”

Ian has been recovering at home since August 29.

The ambulance crew of Deborah Cameron and Claire Allan were assisted by Aberdeen’s paramedic response unit, manned by Calum Moir.

Ewan Murray, Scottish Ambulance Service area manager for Grampian, said: “It is great to hear Ian’s story and how he was assisted by the crew at Huntly, and by the paramedic response unit from Aberdeen.

“Our staff, including our call handlers and dispatchers, are trained to deal with life-threatening situations on a daily basis and encounter man challenging incidents.

“They do it day-in, day out with no expectation any reward, so to get thanks from Ian, is wonderful to hear.